YMCA of Greater Springfield: Legislators listen to YMCAs' concerns

Photo by Ed Cohen From left, Ayanna C. Crawford, of Springfield, executive assistant to YMCA of Greater Springfield President and CEO Kirk Smith; state Sen. Gale D. Candaras, D-Wilbraham; Smith, of Wilbraham; and state Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo, D-Springfield, were among those who attended the Y's legislative breakfast on March 9.

By CICILY CORBETT

Our legislators are charged with the often thankless task of deciding how to spend the money we have collectively accumulated in the form of taxes. As a people, we bring our problems to them: deteriorating infrastructure, underpaid workers, hungry children, crime, and on and on. They must then debate a budget that will never stretch to cover everything everybody wants.

In order to make the best possible decisions about allocating our limited resources, legislators must spend a good deal of time educating themselves about current problems and the organizations best equipped to tackle them. To ensure that Massachusetts legislators understand its contribution to issues of concern to taxpayers, the YMCA periodically invites them to meet at a Y facility.

Entertainment was provided by a preschool classroom from the Y’s Magic Years Early Childhood Center. A gaggle of radiantly smiling, lively and obedient 4-year-olds who can rattle off the names of all the continents in song - something the average man on the street probably cannot do - is the best possible advertisement for youth development, which was the subject of the first presentation.

John Pelli, a board volunteer from the Westfield Y, explained that youth development programs have the largest impact on the community of any Y programs. Youth programs include child care services such as Magic Years, before- and after-school programs, Leaders’ Club, and Youth and Government. Pelli stressed the importance of volunteerism, and ticked off a long list of services that YMCA youth give back to the community, including river cleanup, babysitting, food drives, tutoring younger kids, camp counseling, and peer support for conflict resolution.

David Marks, chief executive officer of the Hampshire Regional YMCA, spoke on healthy living. He drew a parallel between the YMCA’s traditional values and the Buddhist concept of maitri, or loving-kindness. If we can be totally present in the moment with loving-kindness, he reminded us, we can really make a change. Every breath, every moment we have a choice, and through empathy and mindfulness, “watering the right seeds,” we can develop community.

Kathy Viens, chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greater Holyoke, then spoke on social responsibility.

“I am a Y brat,” she confessed, “a product of Leaders’ Club. We believe we have a responsibility to help if we can.” Viens ran through the major challenges the Y is tackling, such as literacy and obesity, and described an interesting collaborative program in which kids repair and build bikes, which they may then take home.

State Rep. Michael J. Finn provided a member perspective. A member of both the Springfield and the Westfield Y - where his children swim - he praised the job the YMCA is doing and pledged to help in any way he could.

“Whenever there is a problem in the community, the Y is at the table,” he said. “Here is our budget; we want to make sure you are armed with this information.”

He explained that in the past, a few Y’s had gotten at-risk money, but many others had not. Those who were getting money did not want to let go of it, but were persuaded to request money as a group. Then the money went away.

“As soon as there is money, please help,” he said. He described some of the valuable, proven programs for at-risk youth: Worcester’s “Spartacus” mountain climbing and wilderness survival program for youth referred by the Juvenile Court, which is still in operation without state money, and a similar one on Cape Cod, called “High Flight.” He referred to two other line items pertaining to child care.

“Our child care workers are among lowest paid workers in the state,” he said. “We are also asking for more slots for kids in our day care.” Presently, slots are being reduced by attrition: as kids age out, their vouchers can’t be given to other children.

Harry Rock, former chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greater Westfield and now director of YMCA Relations at Springfield College, spoke about the long partnership of the Y with Springfield College and made an appeal to the legislators.

“The government can’t provide these services, these quality-of-life opportunities we create,” he said. “Legislators, you need partners; there are other non-profits, but we are the largest. We operate on a very thin margin. Be aware that decisions you make affect our ability to do these things for your constituents. Please remember that when you are faced with difficult decisions on the operational level. We are grateful because we recognize that without your support, we can’t do this.”

The meeting concluded with a few words from Kirk Smith, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Springfield Y.

“Funding is more difficult today,” he said. “Gone are the days when you could just put ‘YMCA’ on an application and get money. Now, it’s more competitive, and we have to prove a thing is VIVID. That’s an acronym I invented, and anybody can use it if they just give me credit for it.”

Here’s what Smith means by VIVID:

• Viable - It can be sustained;
• Impactful - It’s got to DO something: have measurable outcomes, benchmarks;
• Visible - We have to communicate, or no one knows what we’re doing. We’ve got to walk with a “humble swagger;”
• Inspirational - Does the program excite people? and
• Deliverable - When the money is gone, is it something we can keep on delivering?

“We need you to open doors and start conversations,” Smith concluded. “And be sure that if you open a door for me, I will come.”

In his subdued dark suit, with a vivid purple shirt peeking through, Smith was the sartorial embodiment of “humble swagger.” The legislators left with a clear picture of what the YMCA has proven it can do for the community, and the necessity of the Y’s partnership not only with other non-profits and local businesses, but with the state.

The YMCA of Greater Springfield was founded in 1852 and is the second oldest YMCA in the USA. Some 30,000 members and program participants are served annually in Springfield, Wilbraham and 11 surrounding cities and towns.

For more information on YMCA programs or how you can get involved, call (413) 739-6951 (Springfield Branch) or (413) 596-2749 (Scantic Valley Branch), or visit www.springfieldy.org